A two-year-old girl from Scotland has become the youngest person in the world to complete a skydive from 10,000 feet.
Emilia Anderson, from Edinburgh, jumped out of a plane with her dad Tom, who is a professional skydiver and instructor, on Saturday in Spain.
The daring duo landed safely after a thrilling freefall and parachute ride, and Emilia was all smiles as she received her certificate of achievement.
A family of skydivers
Emilia comes from a family of skydivers, who have been jumping together for years.
Her mum Kerri, who is also a qualified solo jumper, said: “We are so proud of Emilia. She has been asking to skydive since she was one and a half years old. She loves watching us jump and always wants to join in.”
Kerri added: “She is not scared of anything. She was so excited and happy when we told her she could finally do it. She was waving and blowing kisses to everyone on the plane.”
Emilia’s grandparents Lynn and Tom senior, who have also done tandem skydives, were there to cheer her on and capture the moment on camera.
A world record
Emilia’s skydive was made possible by a special permission from the Spanish skydiving federation, which allows children under 16 to jump with a parent or guardian.
The previous world record for the youngest skydiver was held by a four-year-old boy from Norway, who jumped in 2018.
Emilia’s dad Tom said: “We are so happy that Emilia got to fulfill her dream and set a new world record. She is an amazing girl and we are very lucky to have her.”
Tom added: “Skydiving is our passion and our way of life. We wanted to share it with Emilia and show her the beauty and freedom of flying. We hope she will continue to skydive and maybe one day become an instructor like me.”
A charity cause
Emilia’s skydive was not only a personal challenge, but also a charity fundraiser.
The family set up a JustGiving page to collect donations for the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, which supports the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.
The charity provides vital services and equipment for sick children and their families, such as play therapy, family support, and specialist medical equipment.
Emilia and her family have raised over £2,000 so far, and hope to reach their target of £3,000.
Kerri said: “We are very grateful to everyone who has supported us and donated to this amazing cause. We know how important it is to help sick children and their families, especially during these difficult times.”
Kerri added: “We hope that Emilia’s skydive will inspire other people to do something adventurous and fun, and also to give back to the community and make a difference.”
